Pessary



PES S-ARY Dec. 20,1938.

Filed March 25, 1937 ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 20, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PESSARY Helen Holt, New York, N. Y. Application March 23, 1937, Serial No. 132,464 7 Claims. (01.128-127) This invention relates to pessaries useful in the treatment of infections and disorders of the cervix, uterus, and vagina, the prevention of disease, and for other purposes. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a novel pessary of the type referred to, which is simple and inexpensive in construction, easy to use, and highly effective.

The new pessary in one form includes an impervious diaphragm of a material which is thin, smooth, and resistant to tearing, and this diaphragm preferably has the general shape of a dome, the dimensions being such that it may be used without discomfort and will fit in position snugly. On the concave side of the diaphragm is a layer or facing of absorbent material, such as a loosely woven fabric or mesh of soft absorbent strands, and this facing is secured to the diaphragm along the rim of the latter and is preferably slightly shallower than the diaphragm. The facing, being absorbent, may be advantageously employed as a means for applyinghealing, antiseptic, and similar compounds, and with the diaphragm, it serves to trap and retain matter discharged into it. If desired, a pad of soft absorbent material may be mounted on the diaphragm along the rim, and this pad, which contacts with the walls of the vagina when the pessary is in use, serves as a cushion, and acts as a means for applying medicaments and for preventing the passage of secretions or discharges from one side of the diaphragm to the other.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figures 1, 2, and 3 are sectional views through different forms of the pessary of the invention;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan View illustrating a part of the device;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view, partly in elevation, illustrating an applicator in which the pessary may be placed for easy insertion; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawing, the new pessary, in the form illustrated in Figure 1, includes a dia phragm Ill, which is generally dome-shaped and is formed of a thin impervious material, which is smooth and resistant to tearing. Various ma terials may be employed for this purpose, but I prefer to use thin paper, such as that known as vegetable parchment, or a thin layer of latex. The diaphragm may be stiffened slightly along its rim, if desired, by means of a resilient member H, and this member may be a circular coil spring as shown in Figure 4, or a ring formed of a thin strip of sheet metal.

Mounted as a covering for the concave face of the diaphragm is a layer or facing l2, which has absorbent characteristics. This layer may be of various materials, such, for example, as a loosely woven fabric or mesh made of loosely twisted strands of absorbent cotton, or of absorbent paper, or the like, and preferably, the layer is slightly shallower than the diaphragm, as illustrated. The layer may be used as a means for the application of healing, antiseptic, and similar compounds, as above referred to, and it also serves to trap and hold matter discharged against it.

Along the rim, the pessary may also be provided with a relatively thick cushion or pad l3 of absorbent material, and for this purpose, long fibre absorbent cotton may be employed. This pad preferably overlies the rim and covers part or all of the convex surface of the diaphragm.

In assembling the various parts, the peripheral edges of the diaphragm and layer are folded about the resilient member, the edge of the pad, if one is used, is placed in registry with the inturned edges of the diaphragm and layer, and the parts are secured together, as by a line of stitching M of any suitable soft absorbent thread. These operations cause the resilient member to be enclosed within a hem or sheath of the diaphragm, layer, and pad, and thereafter, the pad is folded outwardly over the resilient member so that it lies against the convex surface of the diaphragm.

The construction illustrated in Figure 2 is generally similar to that shown in Figure l, and it includes a dome-shaped diaphragm it, an absorbent layer I! on the concave side, and a relatively thick pad l5 of absorbent material which overlies the rim of the diaphragm and extends over the entire convex surface thereof. These parts, together with the resilient member I I along the rim of the diaphragm, are secured together by stitching, as previously described.

The pessary illustrated in Figure 3 is employed in cases of unusual anatomical structure, and in this form of the device, the diaphragm l0 and the absorbent layer l2 have their edges turned outwardly, and those edges are embedded within a relatively thick pad l6 and secured thereto by a line of stitching I1. In the Figure 3 construction, no resilient member is provided in the rim, but the upper surface of the pad adjacent the rim maybe impregnated, as indicated at l8, with a solution of gelatine, so that the upper surface of the rim is made smooth as well as being slightly stiffened. This gelatine covered surface is moistened before use and has the quality of strong adhesiveness to mucous membranes.

The new pessary, being of wholly flexible material, may be readily inserted by means of an applicator of tubular form, such as is illustrated in Figure 5. As there shown, the pessary is pressed together and placed within the openended tube l9, which may be of any suitable clear transparent material. The tube is slightly flattened in section, as shown in Figure 6 and it is I provided with a piston 20 with a handle 2|, the

piston being used for forcing the pessary out of and into position. To insure that the pessary will be properly placed, it is preferably given a distinctive color on the concave side, in order that the tube may be so inserted that the pessary, upon being ejected from the tube, will lie with its concave side uppermost. For such coloring purposes, the absorbent layer l2 may be colored with a vegetable coloring or dye, such as a malachite green, which has antiseptic qualities.

In all forms of the new pessary, the diaphragm is imperforate and made of a thin, flexible, impervious'material. Preferably, the concave surface is provided with an absorbent layer, and a relatively thick pad of absorbent material is mounted along the rim of the diaphragm. The pad increases the effectiveness of the device but may be omitted, for some purposes.

I claim:

1. A pessary which comprisesthe combination of a generally dome-shaped imperforate diaphragm of thin, flexible, impervious material, a layer of absorbent material attached to the diaphragm on the concave side of the latter, and a relatively thick pad of absorbent material mounted along the'rim of the diaphragm and covering the rim and at least a portion of the convex surface of the diaphragm.

2. A pessary which comprises the combination of a generally dome-shaped imperforate diaphragm of impervious material, a layer of absorbent material mounted within the concave side of the diaphragm, a resilient ring mounted along the rim of the diaphragm and enclosed within folded portions of the diaphragm and layer, and a relatively thick pad of absorbent material mounted along the rim of the diaphragm and covering the rim and at least a portion of the convex surface of the diaphragm.

3. A pessary which comprises the combination of a generally dome-shaped imperforate diaphragm of thin, flexible impervious material, a layer of absorbent material within the concave side of the diaphragm, a resiilent ring disposed near the rim of said diaphragm, and a relatively thick pad of absorbent material mounted along said ring and covering the rim and at least a portion of the convex surface of the diaphragm, portions of said diaphragm, layer, and pad being folded over the ring and secured to the diaphragm to retain the ring.

4. A pessary which comprises the combination of a thin, flexible, imperforate diaphragm of vegetable parchment, the diaphragm being generally dome-shaped, a generally dome-shaped layer of absorbentfabric mounted within the concave side of the diaphragm, and a relatively thick pad of absorbent fibrous material secured to the diaphragm along the rim of the latter and covering the rim and at least a portion of the convex surface of the diaphragm.

5. A pessary which comprises the combination of a generally dome-shaped imperforate diaphragm of flexible impervious material, a layer of absorbent material mounted within the concave side of the diaphragm to cover said side, a relatively thick pad of absorbent material attached to the diaphragm along its rim and covering the rim and at least a portion of the convex surface of the diaphragm, and a material, which becomes adherent on being moistened, impregnating at least a portion of the top outer side of the pad.

6. In a pessary, the combination of a generally dome-shaped imperforate diaphragm of impervious material, a resilient ring mounted along the rim of the diaphragm, and a pad of absorbent material relatively thicker than the diaphragm, said pad starting from a place at the concave side of the diaphragm adjacent the rim and extending around the rim and along at least a portion of the convex surface of the'diaphragm.

'7. In a pessary, the combination of a generally dome-shaped imperforate diaphragm of flexible impervious material, a relatively thick pad of absorbent material attached to the diaphragm along its rim and covering the rim and at least a portion of the convex surface of the diaphragm, and a material, which becomes adherent on being moistened, impregnating at least a portion of the top outer side of the pad.

HELEN HOLT. 

